New RNLI lifeboat painted with the names of 10,000 supporters
A new lifeboat which is due to arrive in Clifden this weekend will bear the names of 10,000 people on board as part of the RNLI’s ‘Launch a Memory’ initiative.
The St Christopher will land in Clifden this (Saturday) afternoon as Clifden RNLI’s volunteer lifeboat crew complete their journey from Poole in Dorset where they collected the vessel.
The life-saving Shannon-class boat will carry the names of 10,000 people onboard following a special fundraising initiative run by the charity in 2020.
As part of the ‘Launch a Memory’ campaign, people were able to record a loved one’s name on the vessel by making a donation to the RNLI – each name featuring within the RNLI logo and boat’s numbers.
Arriving in Clifden at 2.30pm on Saturday, the St Christopher will be accompanied into the harbour by a local flotilla before being fully unveiled to the public on Sunday at Clifden Beach at low tide – between 9.30am and 12.30pm.
Clifden RNLI Lifeboat Operations Manager, John Brittain, said the organisation had been working towards the delivery of the St Christopher for a long time.
“It is an honour for us to carry these 10,000 names onboard our new lifeboat.
“Every time we launch, they will accompany the lifeboat crew on its lifesaving mission. We hope to welcome our supporters and members of the public down to see the new lifeboat on the Sunday [May 15] where they can get up close to the vessel – and if they have a loved one onboard, they can see where the name is recorded,” said Mr Brittain.
“I know there are many incredibly moving stories behind each name and we hope to do them all proud.”
The St Christopher began its journey to Clifden in Dorset where volunteers began their journey to Galway, making stops in Plymouth, Penlee, Ballycotton, Kinsale and Valentia.
Ahead of its arrival, the crew underwent training in use of the boat and rigorous trials were carried out to ensure the vessel was fit for use in the worst conditions that often coincide with life-saving missions.
(Photo: Putting the finishing touches to Clifden RNLI’s ‘Launch a Memory’ lifeboat, St Christopher. The all-weather Shannon class lifeboat is a special one in the Irish fleet as it carries the names of over 10,000 loved ones onboard).